Dawn M. Foster discusses lessons that can be learned from science fiction about building communities. Some key lessons include making sure the community is more than just the leaders by encouraging everyone to participate, understanding the community before trying to participate, contributing in a noticeable way, sharing useful skills with others, having guidelines that can change and evolve over time, showing empathy to others, disagreeing with ideas and not people, having a reputation that comes from good contributions, gradually growing the community while maintaining culture, being patient and allowing others to participate, maintaining a balance of control, and encouraging diversity.

1. WHAT SCIENCE FICTION
CAN TEACH US ABOUT
BUILDING COMMUNITIES
Dawn M. Foster
Community
Lead
at
Puppet
Labs
@geekygirldawn
dawn@puppetlabs.com

2. WHOAMI
• Geek, traveler, reader
• Past
12 years doing
community & open source
• Read
73 books last year,
mostly sci-fi / fantasy
• I keep a list:
http://fastwonderblog.com/about/reading/
Photos by Josh Bancroft, Don Park

3. BIGGER ON THE INSIDE
Have to go inside and participate
to really understand the community

4. ALL ABOUT THE PEOPLE
Not about the leaders,
it’s about everyone
who participates

5. DON’T GO TOO FAR
Understand and learn first
before participating

6. DON’T BE A REDSHIRT
Participate and contribute
in a noticeable way
Read John Scalzi’s ‘Redshirts’

7. SHARE USEFUL SKILLS
Learn and share new ideas
with the rest of the team

8. 3 LAWS AND GUIDELINES
Guidelines / code of conduct
that change and evolve as needed

9. ANDROIDS AND EMPATHY
Don’t act like an android,
show empathy and
consider the impact of your actions

10. NO MONSTERS
Different isn’t bad,
disagree with ideas,
not the person

11. WHUFFIE
Reputation is currency,
do good and
recognize others

12. MANAGE GROWTH
Gradual growth
to keep with new contributions
and maintain your culture

13. OUTLAST THEM
Be patient and
allow others to participate

14. CONTROL ISSUES
Maintain balance
to keep things productive
while not being too controlling

15. PEOPLE EVERYWHERE
Travel and
meet interesting people
working on global projects

16. MENTORING
Train the next generation
and help others succeed

17. THE YOUNG CAN CONTRIBUTE
Age is often unknown,
encourage young people
to contribute

18. STRONG WOMEN
Encourage women in our field
and get more women
speaking at our events

19. DON’T PANIC
Things will go wrong
keep things in perspective
calmly recover

20. THANK YOU
Contact
info:
Dawn
Foster
@geekygirldawn
dawn@puppetlabs.com
fastwonderblog.com
Some of my favorite modern sci-fi / fantasy authors:
Hugh Howey
Lois McMaster Bujold
Brandon Sanderson
Connie Willis